BR: Mike, I think it is great that you agreed to tell your story into the Diet in my column as well! Introduce yourself!

MS: I'm a 40 yr old type O secretor.... I’m single, father of an 8 yr old girl... I live in Toronto, Canada. I'm a sales manager by profession for a Fortune 500 computer company where there are always people demanding my time. The BTD diet has helped me control my stress levels and has helped me be more of a resource to the people that report to me. I spend my free time playing golf, bike riding, roller blading, skiing, reading and playing guitar.

BR: Can you give us some insight into why you started the blood type diet? When was THE moment you knew that the BTD was more than just a diet?

MS: I came to the BTD through a reflexoligist I was seeing 18 months ago. After reading many health books and diet books, ERFYBT was the only book that was not a "one size fits all" approach. When I read in ERFYBT that type O's were most susceptible to Autoimmune Disorders, it really peaked my interest. About 8 years ago I lost all my bodily, scalp and facial hair due to an Autoimmune disorder called Alopecia Universalis.

BR: Are there any diseases that run in your family?

MS: High blood pressure runs in my family amongst my A type family members, and my dad; a type O… had his thyroid removed a few years ago.

BR: Mike, did you opt for the cold-turkey-version? Did you experience detoxsymptoms? And for how long?

MS: I can’t say that I did. I find that since being on the diet, if I happen to eat some avoids like wheat, I immediately feel the difference in my gut.

BR: And how long did it take to notice change in your body (mentally and physically!) What kind of changes did you experience?

MS: Within 2 weeks of starting the BTD I began to notice an increase in my energy level, physically and mentally. I always had a hard time concentrating on things for prolonged periods of time, like reading a book or studying new material. Since being on the diet, my mental acuity has vastly improved. Physically, I lost 20 pounds and 2 inches of my waist after 3 months and it was the first time I saw my stomach muscles in over 20 years without a sit up to show for. I wasn’t like I needed to loose weight, but I feel now I am at my optimal weight. My current BMI is 19. Also I tended to fall asleep easily or feel drowsy after a meal especially if wheat was involved. This rarely happens anymore. As I mentioned above, I lost about 95% of all my bodily and facial hair... Alopecia universalis (autoimmune disorder)... 8 years ago. Since being on the diet I’ve regained about 30% of it back in various places. I’m not really hoping or expecting that it will all grow back. There are many advantages of not having hair... like never having a “bad” hair day. I did have very weak, cracked and flat nails, but since being on the diet they have started to regain their proper shape and lustre.

BR: Your family, how did they react to your following the diet? We read that your mom thinks you should eat pasta!! Were you able to explain them why you started the Diet? And are they positive about it?

MS: About the only family members that know I am on the diet are my parents. My mom was not very enthusiastic about me being on the diet…She equates diet with eating less and Italian mothers love to feed their boys when they come to visit. It was hard to explain that I was not eating less but eating the appropriate food for my blood type…so she feeds me as many beneficials and neutrals (I gave her LRFYBT) when I visit. I’ve tried to get my parents on the diet, but they are set in their ways. My parents are always happy when I am happy and since being on the diet, my body has been happy, so yes they are positive about it.

BR: You told us in your bloggs that you are a single dad with 8-year-old daughter. What is her bloodtype and does she eat accordingly? Tell us how you manage this.

MS: I see my daughter every other weekend and odd times during the week. It is hard to manage her daily eating according to her blood type since her mother knows nothing of the diet (something I would like to change), but when she is with me she shares my type O diet. She is a very active healthy child and does very well at school. I think the biggest challenge for any parent is keeping their kids away from sugar-laden treats and foods. If you can do both, BTD diet and restrict the sugar, we would do well in getting our kids off to a good start in life, physically, mentally and emotionally especially in their earliest years before they pick up bad food eating habits.

BR: Eating Right 4 Your Type is not easy for you when you are on the road, at culinary company-events. You ‘pointed’ it out to us! What is your percentage of compliance with the diet? In times of stress do you increase your compliance?

MS: I’m about 99% compliant when eating at home, 90% eating out and at social events usually 75%. I take Deflect when need be which helps. In times of stress I find it’s harder to comply especially if I do not exercise regularly. The strenuous exercise, which is needed for O’s, helps me stay compliant because it lowers my stress levels.

BR: Looking at your daily diet: what was easy to integrate into your basic diet, what still gives you problems?

MS: Meat was very easy to integrate into my diet, especially lamb and veal. Pork, especially sausages, was hard to give up. Giving up the pasta and wheat food like muffins, cereals and bagels was difficult… I grew up in an Italian household in a Jewish area of town so I ate these foods for years and had a hard time giving them up. Milk and cheese always gave me digestive problems even though I love yoghurt and cheese cake, but I don’t miss it. Almond and Soymilk are now in my fridge and there are still some neutral cheeses that I eat like goat cheese. I love fish!! I have so many to choose from for my blood type. Lentil and kidney beans were some of my favourite beans but my chilli recipes now call for lamb and Aduke beans and I don’t even remember what lentil soup taste like anymore. The hardest thing to give up was Strawberry/Rhubarb Pie, coffee and French fries with vinegar. Lots of fruits and vegetables to choose from for my blood type…oranges I never liked so no great problem there.

BR: Do you get support from your Medical Doctor? Could you convince him/her of the positive impact of the blood type diet on your health?

MS: My doctor has no idea I’m on the diet because I have not had any reason to see him since being on it. I have a physical scheduled shortly. I could try convincing him of the benefits, but I find most medical doctors are too caught up in drug treatments rather than prevention of illness and disease.

BR: If you take medication: How is your medication-intake after having started the blood type diet?

MS: The last time I took some medication was 12 years ago when I was miss-diagnosed with a fungal nail infection. I have not taken any anti-biotic or flu shot in over 15 years. I get the common cold maybe once a year. I have had the flu once in the last two years. I’m known as the “iron man’ at work because I have missed 1.5 days due to illness in the last two years. Since I have an over active immune system to begin with, flu shots and anti-biotics are the last thing I need to take.

BR: You live in Toronto, Canada: Can you buy the foods you need for your O-diet??

MS: Toronto, Canada is one of the most cosmopolitan (cleanest and safest) cities in the world. We have a complete mosaic of cultures and foods. Organic food and beef is easy to find and I have no problem buying food for my O blood.

BR: Mike, many others and I enjoyed your blogger contributions about your BTD-version of Sex and the City. You wrote the BTD-Blues!! Talking of inspiration! We could programme your nutritious music-lyric for the coming Seminar in Arizona in April 2005. We might select our BTD-Idol at the end of the Seminar! Are there any other aspirations you cherish, as a consequence of being on the BTD you want to share with us? This is your chance!!

MS: I’m glad you enjoy my blogs--I enjoy writing them and I am glad to be part of such a great group of bloggers. I like to inject a little humour and fun into my blogs from time to time because I feel we need to laugh and laugh at ourselves (especially when we are a little hard on ourselves for not being compliant). As far as aspirations, I would love to attend classes and become certified as a BTD practitioner if at all possible (if I could find time from my busy schedule). Since being on the diet, I have developed a keen interest in nutrition and microbiology. I think all of us who are part of the BTD community are all striving for one ultimate thing and that is to heal and be healed…our bodies and our souls (even though we ignore them) are ultimately striving for that. My aspirations are purely to help people (myself included) to “wake up” and “listen”

BR: Mike, thank you for your so in-tune interview! It is so important that people, and especially people with loads of healthproblems, that they ‘wake up’ and start ‘listening’ to their body and mind!! So good for you that the BTD also crossed your path and you were ‘awake’ enough to grasp the benefits for you!!Thanks Mike for your open interview and hope the BTD-Blues will be on stage soon!!